To Dynamius, Patrician of Gaul

Gregory to Dynamius, patrician of Gaul. He who faithfully manages what belongs to another shows how well he handles what is his own. Your glory makes this plain to us, in that, intent on your yearly offering, you have paid blessed Peter, prince of the apostles, the fruits of his revenues. By paying him faithfully what is his, you have made these gifts to him your own. For it is fitting that the glorious people of this earth, who think of eternal glory, should act in such a way that, by reason of their excelling in temporal power, they win for themselves a reward that is not temporal. So, addressing to you the greeting we owe, we pray Almighty God both to fill your life with present good and to extend it to the lofty joys of eternity. For we have received through our son Hilarus four hundred Gallic solidi from the revenues of our church named above. We now send you, as the blessing of the blessed apostle Peter, a small cross in which are set particles of his chains, which for a time bound his neck; but may they loose yours from sins forever. Moreover, all around it, in its four arms, are set particles of the gridiron of blessed Lawrence, on which he was burned, so that the thing on which his body was consumed by fire for the truth’s sake may set your soul on fire with love of the Lord. [a]